A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 442

Chapter 442

THIRD POV

The room smelled faintly of herbs and smoke already.

Not strong enough to choke the air.

Just enough to remind them that whatever was about to happen there was ancient.

Suddenly, the room wasn’t just one of the regular empty rooms in the Alpha’s wing anymore.

It seemed sacred now.

Alexander stood beside Faye quietly as they watched Helen move around the empty room with unsettling focus. She had chosen one of the unused chambers at the far end of the wing after insisting she needed complete silence and enough open space to prepare properly.

The furniture had already been pushed aside earlier.

Leaving the center of the room bare.

Cold.

Waiting.

The only real source of light came from the candles Helen had placed carefully around the floor. Their flames flickered softly against the walls as she knelt near the center of the room with a piece of white chalk in her hand.

Neither Alexander nor Faye interrupted her.

They simply watched.

Helen drew slowly and deliberately, like every single line mattered.

Patterns stretched across the floor in curved shapes and unfamiliar symbols. Some crossed over

one another, while others connected in circles that looked almost too precise to have been done

by hand.

At one point, Helen paused slightly, leaned back, and studied the markings before continuing

again.

Faye’s eyes followed every movement carefully.

Unlike Alexander, some of it looked vaguely familiar to Faye.

Not fully… just a bit.

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Only because she had grown up in Sleepy Hollow, where rituals and old traditions still carried weight in everyday life. Unlike Blood Crescent, which leaned more toward structure and military order, Sleepy Hollow still respected ancient practices openly.

As a child, Faye had stood at the edges of moon ceremonies.

Healing rites, seasonal offerings, blessing rituals.

She remembered the smell of burning herbs.

The chants.

The old women whispering prayers to the Moon Goddess beneath silver light.

This wasn’t exactly the same.

But parts of it carried that same feeling.

Old power.

Ancient intention.

Which somehow made it more unsettling.

Helen finally stood after finishing the last symbol and dusted the chalk lightly from her fingers.

For a moment, silence settled over the room.

Then Helen turned toward them fully.

“We’ll begin preparation now,” she said calmly.

Alexander straightened slightly bave while Helen walked toward a small wooden table

positioned close to the wall. Several items rested there already.

Bowls.

Small glass vials.

Dried herbs.

Dark cloth.

A ceremonial blade.

Faye’s stomach tightened faintly at the sight of it.

Helen picked up two small empty containers before looking toward them again.

“I’ll need your hair and blood.”

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The words landed heavily despite how calmly they were spoken.

Alexander noticed Faye hesitate beside him.

Just slightly.

Barely visible.

But he still noticed.

Her shoulders stiffened faintly before she forced herself still again.

Without saying anything, Alexander stepped forward first.

If Helen noticed what he was doing, she didn’t mention it.

She simply motioned for him to stand closer.

Alexander walked toward his mother calmly, even though the atmosphere in the room felt heavier the closer he got to the ritual markings on the floor.

He didn’t believe much in those things, but for Faye’s sake, he hoped Helen was right about all of this.

Helen reached toward him first.

Her fingers moved to his hair before carefully plucking a single strand free.

Alexander barely reacted.

Helen secured the strand immediately inside one of the small containers before sealing it tightly.

Everything about her movements felt practiced.

Precise.

Like she had done things like this many times before.

Then she stretched her hand out toward him.

Alexander looked down briefly before placing his hand into hers without hesitation.

Helen’s grin

tightened slightly around his palm.

For the first time since the preparation began, she paused.

Just for a second.

She took a

Wreath through her nose as if steadying herself mentally.

Then she picked up the ceremonial blade.

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Chapter 442

The edge reflected faint candlelight for one brief moment before she drew it carefully across Alexander’s palm.

The cut wasn’t deep.

But it was enough.

Blood welled instantly against his skin.

Faye instinctively shifted slightly at the sight of it.

Helen quickly tilted Alexander’s hand over one of the small glass vials and let several drops of blood fall inside.

The room remained silent except for the soft sound of blood hitting glass.

Alexander watched his mother quietly the entire time.

Trying to read her expression.

But Helen gave away nothing.

Once she had enough, she stepped back.

“That’s enough,” she said.

Alexander nodded once before moving aside again.

His eyes immediately found Faye.

She was trying not to look nervous.

Trying and failing.

Alexander gave her a small nod anyway.

Faye inhaled quietly before finally stepping forward herself,

The candlelight flickered softly against her face as she stopped in front of Helen.

For a brief second, Helen simply looked at her.

Not as the Luna.

Not as Alexander’s mate.

But almost like she was studying something much deeper.

Then she reached toward Faye’s hair.

Unlike Alexander, Faye reacted slightly when Helen plucked the strand free. Not from pain, but

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Chapter 442

from tension. Her fingers curled faintly at her sides before relaxing again.

Helen sealed the strand inside another container carefully.

Then came the hand.

Helen’s fingers closed around hers firmly.

The contrast was immediate.

Faye’s hands were colder.

Helen seemed to notice too.

Helen’s expression sharpened ever so slightly before she picked up the blade again.

Faye watched the edge carefully this time.

Alexander’s body instinctively tensed from where he stood watching.

Faye didn’t flinch when the blade made contact with her palm.

Helen tilted her hand carefully above another vial.

Blood dripped slowly into the glass.

The moment the first drop landed, one of the candles flickered violently.

Alexander noticed immediately.

So did Helen.

But neither of them said anything.

Faye swallowed quietly as another drop followed.

Then another.

For one brief second, the room felt strange again.

Like something unseen had suddenly started paying attention.

Helen quickly sealed the vial once she had enough.

“It’s enough,” Helen said quietly.

Faye stepped back immediately.

The moment she moved away from the center markings, she exhaled softly like she hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath the entire time.

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Alexander moved subtly closer again.

Helen turned back toward the table and began arranging the containers carefully beside several other ritual items already waiting there.

Then, after a moment, she picked something else up.

A folded white robe.

The material looked thin and soft beneath the candlelight.

Helen turned toward Faye again and held it out to her.

“You’ll need to change into this,” she said calmly.

Faye reached for the robe slowly.

“And tie your hair up while you’re at it.”

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